A Christmas Gift
by zoe elizabethx
Summary: Nell is finally returning back home for Christmas, she can't wait until work finishes for the night and she can catch her flight. But before she can leave, Eric surprises her with of gift of his own, though he wasn't her Secret Santa. The genuine honesty of the gift shocks Nell with slight disbelief, but will it be too much for her to take?


**My first Nell and Eric Christmas story of the year, depending on how the next episode play out, and if we get something like last year, there maybe another one :)**

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Nell sat on the couch in the bullpen, rushing to try finish the case report by tonight. She was doing her best to speed through it, but with the glow of the Christmas tinsel and lights causing a glare against her screen and the fact that in a few hours she would be back home for the first time in two years to celebrate Christmas with her family, she was finding it hard the carry on the work. She stretched her arms and let out a yawn, blinking tiredly as she tried to focus back on her typing. A noise from behind distracted her and she turned her head once again.

"Am I interrupting?" his voice asked softly as he stepped around the barricade and beside the couch.

Nell shook her head, gently smiling as she finally shut the laptop. "No, I actually need to stop before I get too tired to go anywhere." She began to pack up her belongings as he came around and sat beside her. "What did your secret Santa get you?" she asked not looking up.

"Uh, Sam got me the blu ray pack of Game of Thrones-"

"We should marathon it once I get back," Nell glanced back to him catching his clear emerald gaze.

"Looking forward to it already," he grinned in return, he then moved his hand behind his back when she turned around. He felt his chest grow tight as the anxiousness rose in his stomach, he coughed to try stop it, but it only caused his throat to feel the same effect. "Listen, Nell, I know we already got assigned our Secret Santa, but I got you something as well." As she sat back up, he sat forward, turning towards her more, taking the presents from out of his back pocket.

Her eyes widened as she brought her bag onto her lap, "But I didn't get you anything, this is why we have Secret-"

"Nell," he brought forward the small square present, "It's fine, I wanted to give you something." This time he caught her eyes, and the entire mission seemed to grow silent, and he felt words catching in this throat unable to pass his slightly gaping jaw. When Nell blinked her eyes seemed brighten but with a more intense glow, and Eric's head fell, "I saw it and I, I thought you might like it." He held it back out to her returning his head into an up position, and was pleased to see a smile against her lips. "Here," when she reached for it she held the bottom of his hand as she slowly took it out of his palm. Her touch was warm, and he felt the slightest squeeze before she drew her hand away.

"It doesn't look like a football DVD," she joked and eyed Eric, who had the same mirrored feature, but there was also a sense of nervousness as he kept his slanted vision on the gift. Nell's fingers found the seam of the wrapping and she was careful not the rip the paper. Once she had pulled back just half of it, it was revealed it was a small leather box that would hold some kind of jewelry. "Eric, please tell me you didn't go overboard."

Eric shrugged, "Just open it, come on," he nudged her knee with his, he caught her eyes again and tried his best to keep up his giddy smile, though his heart was beating faster than he ever thought it could. He sucked in a breath through minimally parted lips and took a couple seconds before exhaling.

Nell's fingers grasped the lid, she too took a breath before opening it up. That breath caught in her throat once her eyes laid upon the piece. "Eric, I..." Inside the box was a beautiful silver heart locket, engraved ever so lightly on the front corner was some type of flower. Her index finger reached out and traced over the pattern with much care, her lips were frozen in shock and she couldn't even begin any words. When she turned it around, right in the centre was inscribed Ununoctium. "Eric... I don't know what to say... I can't take-"

He shifted forward placing his hand on her wrist, "Nell, I bought it for you, I want you to have it," his head leaned down so he could meet her eyes.

Once she met him again she nodded, "It's beautiful Eric, I love it," a larger smile broke her lips paralysis and her arms wrapped around him, pressing her face into his shoulder as she felt his arms wrap around her waist. Nell had a million questions running through her mind, the gift was amazing, and she had only had for a minute but she knew she treasured way more than most of her other possessions, she just wanted to know if there was anything more behind it. "Thank you," she whispered when she pulled back. She looked back down to the gift, "Would you help me put it on?" she asked, gently taking it from the box.

"Of course," he took it from her fingers and waited until she had turned and lifted up her hair from her shoulders. Eric carried the two ends of the chain around her neck, he clipped the two clasps together then placed the cool metal down, his fingers just only just grazing the back of her neck. When Nell turned back around she was still looking down, playing with the locket between her fingers, a light shade of pink adorning her cheeks. "I knew it would look great on you," he smiled shyly as she looked back up.

She nodded, finally looking back up, "I seriously love it Eric, thank you," she replied, her smile growing bigger as they searched each other's eyes, and she swore her body made an unconscious decision to move her just an inch closer to him. What broke the gazes was her phone going off, indicating it was now 9:00. She quickly grabbed it to turn off the noise, she now wanted to stay longer and be with him. "I have to get going now if I want to catch my plane," she told him, picking up the box and paper, and placing them in her bag before standing up. "I'll see you once I get back," she nodded, pulling her bag over her shoulder.

"I'll pick you up from the airport, shall I?" he asked, rocking on the balls of his feet.

"I'd like that," she smiled, then stepped forward and hugged him once more, her arms going around his neck this time. "Have a good Christmas while I'm gone okay."

"I'll miss you, Jones," he admitted with a slightly more honest tone.

"You too, Beale," she hugged him tighter than before, it felt so different being having to be away from him so long, the two had grown closer since she went back home last, it almost hurt to leave. She finally pulled back, as her arms came down she fixed his collar.

"Be safe," Eric murmured looking her over one last time.

Her arms fell to her side and she fixed her hair, not wanting to met his eyes again, "Please, the worst I can do over there is slip on some ice," she joked. But there was a silence before where he didn't respond, and the pressure caused her eyes to return to his, where she found the strong emotion playing off them. "I will, don't worry," she assured him, a more confident smile masking her lips this time. Nell looked past him towards the exit, "I better get going, I'll text you once I land. Goodbye Eric," she spoke softly before taking the first slow steps away from him.

"Merry Christmas, Nell," Eric whispered to himself as she turned the corner and was out of sight.

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**Please review and tell me what you think, because I'd love to know. **

**Have a fantastic holiday and New Years xx**


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